1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal for telecommunications, for example a portable telephone, and to a communications network making use of such terminals. More particularly, the present invention relates to portable telephones employing user identity modules (UIMs).
2. Description of the Background Art
Portable telephone systems are known that contain a subscriber or user identity feature wherein the telephone can be manually locked to a user identity module (UIM).
European Patent application number 93302420.0, publication number 0562890A1 to Green entitled MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORK WITH REMOTE UPDATING OF SUBSCRIBER IDENTITY MODULES IN MOBILE TERMINALS, filed Mar. 29, 1993 discloses a communications network that has a switching network including a mobile switching center which communicates, by radio telephone, with a mobile telephone. The mobile equipment contains a subscriber identity module which stores data for controlling the operation of, and the facilities available to the user, of the mobile equipment. The switching network transmits updating signals to the mobile equipment which alter the data stored in the subscriber identity module and hence alter the operation on facilities available.
The referenced application describes a technique for programming a UIM over the air, but not a method or structure for programming the telephone as described in 0562890A1.